Priestman apologizes for Olympic soccer scandal

PARIS – Canadian women’s soccer coach Bev Priestman said she is taking accountability and co-operating with an investigation into a spying scandal involving the women’s soccer team that has blown up at the Paris Games.

Preistman offered her first public comments on the scandal Sunday in a statement issued by her lawyers.

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She says she is “heartbroken” for the players on the team and apologized to team members and Canadians.

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Priestman and two assistants were suspended by FIFA for a year as a part of a punishment for a developing situation that started when an analyst was caught using a drone to spy on New Zealand team practices before the start of Olympic competition.

The sanctions also included a six-point penalty — the equivalent of two wins in the Olympic tournament — for the defending champion Canadians in Paris and a fine of around $313,000 levied against Canada Soccer.

Earlier Sunday, Canadian sports minister Carla Qualtrough announced that the government is withholding some of Canada Soccer’s funding as a result of the scandal.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2024.